Can grey water be used from (a) a dishwasher (b) a washing machine- on to veggie/flower garden.Is it safe?

I have 2 seperate pipes so I can re direct to diff parts of the garden-

Can grey water be used from (a) a dishwasher (b) a washing machine- on to veggie/flower garden.Is it safe?
Sheeze. I'm hesitating to answer this because you've already got answers all over the board. I spent 20 years in innovative on-site wastewater management design. Attended the American Society of Agricultural Engineers On-Site Wastewater Management Annual Conferences five of those years, and so on and so on and so on.





I'll waste the time typing this and tell you the water coming off the kitchen sink and dishwasher are nearer blackwater in their biological loading, than grey water. Put that into the sewer line or septic system.





The tub/shower and bathroom sink are legitimate grey water and worth using, though it's helpful to float off the soap in a grease trap before allowing it to run out wherever you plan to use it.
Reply:it is perfectly safe - I've done it before - the neat thing is any soap you use (which should be biodegradable) wards off pests...and the proteins from disjes and laundry help feed the soil. I would be careful to not launder any clothling soiled with oils or paints.
Reply:The detergents in the water will harm your plants. Set up a rain barrel for extra water for your gardens.
Reply:It is not recommended. Here's why; soap can raise the pH of the soil and increase salts, regardless of the type of soap. Vegetables to not do well in high salt soils or high pH soils, if at all, same with some flowers and trees.





In some states and or counties it is illegal to use your grey water. Do check with your city/county health department to find out if you can even use grey water first.
Reply:It seems safe enough, have a read through this though:





http://www.awa.asn.au/Content/Navigation...
Reply:For the most part, yes, provided you are not using chlorine bleach or a non-environmentally friendly soap. I use my gray washer water, and I use Oxy instead of bleach (much better for whitening, removing stains, and the environment) and enzyme cleaning tablets (no soap whatsoever). And, of course, assuming you are not washing clothes that have toxins on them (like work clothes might). A little soap isn't going to hurt, but too much can add toxins, hurt natural bacteria action in the soil, deposit nasty stuff in the soil, or damage the roots' ability to absorb water and nutrients. I have yet to find an EF soap for the dishwasher that actually does a good job, but if you want to set up a filtering system of a few layers of fiberfill and charcoal fiber or charcoal granules (similar to what's in a fish tank filter) this will do wonders for "cleaning" your cleaning water.





One thing to bear in mind, for optimum health, growth, and nutrint absorption, your plant should be watered in the morning before 10 AM (plants absorb water and nutrients during the day, grow at night), so you might want to think about a filtered holding tank.





Check first with your local Dept. of Environmental Protection, or Town Hall...some places do not allow you to drain gray water above ground (I know a couple of folks in Australia who were fined for doing it), and folks in the watershed areas around here aren't allowed to do it.
Reply:It doesn't seem logical that the harsh chemicals used in detergents combined with food residue and bacteria are healthful to plants.





Maybe you could try it on one specific plant for a period of time and observe the long-term effects...

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